Libraries, Spanish and Kids

Monday, February 1, 2010

Have you read any good Spanish-language or bilingual children's books lately? If so, you can help contribute to a fabulous reference source of excellent Spanish-language and bilingual literature available to librarians (and anyone else).

America Reads Spanish, a website created by Spanish and American publishers of Spanish-language materials, has created a reference resource entitled Essential Guide to Spanish Reading, and are collecting recommendations for the second edition. Although the book is a reference for all ages, there is a section on children and young adult literature. There is also a new, separate book, entitled Essential Guide to Spanish Reading for Children and Young Adults, which I highly recommend you take a look at if you are working on developing a Spanish-langauge or bilingual collection for children or young adults.

In order to make the second edition of the all ages version a reality, they are asking you to send your recommendations to ARS editor@americareadsspanish.org , by providing them with the

Monday, January 25, 2010

The following article came out in November of last year. For a children's librarian serving the Latino community, this may be an interesting look at the shape of the Latino population of the United States, and some of the trends that we can expect.

More than anything, this information indicated to me, once again, how very important caring, informed librarians serving this population are. So take a few minutes and acquaint yourself with the statistics. They aren't the same as getting to know the individual community you serve, of course, but they are a good starting point.

A Look at the Latino Population(November 16, 2009)

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the minority population reached an estimated 104.6 million -- or 34 percent of the nation's total population -- on July 1, 2008, compared to 31 percent when the Census was taken in 2000. Nearly one in six residents, or 46.9 million people, are Hispanic, the agency reported.Even more telling for the future: 44 percent of children younger than 18 and 47 percent of children younger than the age of five are now from minority families.

The quickly expanding Latino population is having a healthy impact on the economy, according to Ken Gronbach, author of The Age Curve: How to Profit from the Growing Demographic Trend.

"Latinos have saved our country," he said. "They represent 14 percent of the population but 25 percent of the live births. The United States is the only western industrialized nation with a fertility rate above the 2.2 percent replacement rate."

Here, the US Cenus Bureau provides a look at how America is being shaped by Hispanic-Americans, from population and language to popular names and voting trends.

Population 46.9 million

The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2008, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constituted 15 percent of the nation's total population. In addition, there are approximately 4 million residents of Puerto Rico.Source: Population estimates pand further estimates

More than 1 . . . of every two people added to the nation's population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, was Hispanic. There were 1.5 million Hispanics added to the population during the period. Source: Population estimates

3.2% increase in the Hispanic population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, making Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group.Source: Population estimates

132.8 million - The projected Hispanic population of the United States on July 1, 2050. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 30 percent of the nation's population by that date.Source: Population projections

22.4 million - The nation's Hispanic population during the 1990 Census - less than half the current total.Source: The Hispanic Population: 2000

2nd ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of 2008. Only Mexico (110 million) had a larger Hispanic population than the United States (46.9 million).Source: International Data Base <> and population estimates

64% - The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in the United States who were of Mexican background in 2007. Another 9 percent were of Puerto Rican background, with 3.5 percent Cuban, 3.1 percent Salvadoran and 2.7 percent Dominican. The remainder were of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin.Source: 2007 American Community Survey

About 45 percent of the nation's Dominicans lived in New York City in 2007 and about half of the nation's Cubans in Miami-Dade County, Fla.Source: 2007 American Community Survey

25% - Percentage of children younger than 5 who were Hispanic in 2008. All in all, Hispanics comprised 22 percent of children younger than 18.Source: Population estimates

27.7 years - Median age of the Hispanic population in 2008. This compared with 36.8 years for the population as a whole.Source: Population estimates

107 - Number of Hispanic males in 2008 per every 100 Hispanic females. This was in sharp contrast to the overall population, which had 97 males per every 100 females.Source: Population estimates

States and Counties

48% - The percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lived in California or Texas in 2008. California was home to 13.5 million Hispanics, and Texas was home to 8.9 million. Source: Population estimates

16 - The number of states with at least a half-million Hispanic residents - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.Source: Population estimates

45% - The percentage of New Mexico's population that was Hispanic in 2008, the highest of any state. Hispanics also made up at least one fifth of the population in California and Texas, at 37 percent each, Arizona (30 percent), Nevada (26 percent), Florida (21 percent) and Colorado (20 percent). New Mexico had 891,000 Hispanics.Source: Population estimates

The Carolinas - The states with the highest percentage increases in Hispanic population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008. South Carolina's increase was 7.7 percent and North Carolina's was 7.4 percent.Source: Population estimates

4.7 million - The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif., in 2008 - the largest of any county in the nation. Los Angeles County also had the biggest numerical increase in the Hispanic population (67,000) since July 2007.Source: Population estimates

97% - Proportion of the population of Starr County, Texas, that was Hispanic as of 2008, which led the nation. All of the top 10 counties in this category were in Texas.Source: Population estimates

48 - Number of the nation's 3,142 counties that are majority-Hispanic.Source: Population estimates

15% - Percent increase in the Hispanic population in Luzerne County, Pa., from July 1, 2007, to July 1, 2008. Among all counties with 2007 Hispanic populations of at least 10,000, Luzerne topped the nation in this category. Luzerne's county seat is Wilkes-Barre.Source: Population estimates

313,000 - The increase in California's Hispanic population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, which led all states. Texas (305,000) and Florida (111,000) also recorded large increases.Source: Population estimates

20 - Number of states in which Hispanics are the largest minority group. These states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.Source: Population estimates

BusinessesSource for statements in this section: Hispanic-owned Firms: 2002

1.6 millionThe number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.Nearly 43 percent of Hispanic-owned firms operated in construction; administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services; and other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade accounted for nearly 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue.

Counties with the highest number of Hispanic-owned firms were Los Angeles County (188,422); Miami-Dade County (163,187); and Harris County, Texas (61,934).

Triple - The rate of growth of Hispanic-owned businesses between 1997 and 2002 (31 percent) compared with the national average (10 percent) for all businesses.

44.6% . . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by people of Mexican origin (Mexican, Mexican-American or Chicano).

29,168 - Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.Families and Children

10.4 million - The number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2008. Of these households, 62 percent included children younger than 18.Source: Families and Living Arrangements

66% - The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple.Source: Families and Living Arrangements

43% - The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple with children younger than 18.Source: Families and Living Arrangements

70% - Percentage of Hispanic children living with two parents.Source: Families and Living ArrangementsSpanish Language

35 million - The number of U.S. residents 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2007. Those who hablan español constituted 12 percent of U.S. residents. More than half of these Spanish speakers spoke English "very well."Source: 2007 American Community Survey

4 - Number of states where at least one-in-five residents spoke Spanish at home in 2007 - Arizona,California, New Mexico and Texas.Source: 2007 American Community Survey

78% - Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2007.Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$38,679 - The median income of Hispanic households in 2007, statistically unchanged from the previous year after adjusting for inflation.Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007

21.5% - The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006.Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007

32.1% - The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2007, down from 34.1 percent in 2006.Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007

Education

53% - The percentage of Hispanic 4-year-olds enrolled in nursery school in 2007, up from 43 percent in 1997 and 21 percent in 1987.Source: School Enrollment - Social and Economic

Characteristics of Students: October 2007

62% - The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older who had at least a high school education in 2008.Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

13% - The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher in 2008.Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

3.6 million - The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor's degree in 2008.Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

1 million - Number of Hispanics 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2008 (e.g., master's, professional, doctorate).Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

12% - Percentage of full-time college students (both undergraduate and graduate students) in October 2007 who were Hispanic, up from 10 percent in 2006.Source: School Enrollment - Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2007

20% - Percentage of elementary and high school students combined who were Hispanic.Source: School Enrollment - Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2007Names

4 - The number of Hispanic surnames ranked among the 15 most common in 2000. It was the first time that a Hispanic surname reached the top 15 during a census. Garcia was the most frequent Hispanic surname, occurring 858,289 times and placing eighth on the list - up from 18th in 1990. Rodriguez (ninth), Martinez (11th) and Hernandez (15th) were the next most common Hispanic surnames.Source: Census 2000 Genealogy

Jobs

67% - Percentage of Hispanics 16 and older who were in the civilian labor force in 2007.Source: 2007 American Community Survey

18% - The percentage of Hispanics 16 or older who worked in management, professional and related occupations in 2007. The same percentage worked in production, transportation and material moving occupations. Another 16 percent worked in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older worked in service occupations; 21 percent in sales and office occupations; and 2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations.Source: 2007 American Community Survey

9.7 million - The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2008 presidential election, about 2 million more than voted in 2004. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting - 50 percent - represented a statistical increase from 2004 (47 percent).Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008

Serving our Country

1.1 million - The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. armed forces.Source: 2007 American Community Survey

info@latinopolicy.org.

National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP) | 101 Avenue of the Americas | New York | NY | 10013-1933

It's not too late to get involved in this fabulous event put on by the University of Alabama's school of Library and Information Studies! Dr. Jaimie Naidoo is also a wonderful resource for any questions you may have about quality Latino children's literature, in Spanish, English, and bilingual.

The press release follows:

The University of Alabama's School of Library and Information Studies is pleased to announce the National 3rd Annual Celebration of Latino Children’s Literature Conference: Connecting Cultures & Celebrating Cuentos to be held in Tuscaloosa, AL on April 23-24, 2010. This exclusive conference was created for the purpose of promoting high-quality children’s literature about the Latino cultures and to offer a forum for librarians, educators, researchers, and students to openly discuss strategies for meeting the informational, educational, and literacy needs of Latino children and their families. Featuring nationally-acclaimed Latino literacy scholars and award-winning Latin@ authors and illustrators of children’s books, this Connecting Cultures & Celebrating Cuentos conference is truly an unforgettable experience.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: In keeping with the idea of celebrating Latino children’s literature and creating intercultural connections, we invite poster and program proposals that contribute to and extend existing knowledge in the following areas: Latino children’s literature, bilingual education, Latino family involvement in the school curriculum, Latino cultural literacy, library services to Latino children and their families, literacy programs utilizing Latino children’s literature, educational needs of Latino children, educational opportunities and collaborations with El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Children's Day/Book Day), Latino children’s responses to culturally-responsive literature, social influences of children’s media on Latino youth, and other related topics. Presentations and posters can share recent research or provide practical suggestions for current or preservice librarians and educators.

PROGRAM PROPOSALS: To submit your program proposal, please provide the following information: a 250 word (maximum) abstract of your presentation along with the program title; the name of the program organizer; the names of all presenters and their affiliations along with their preferred contact phone, email, and address; and your preferred presentation day (Friday or Saturday) to conference chair Dr. Jamie Campbell Naidoo at celebratingcuentos@gmail.com. Please be sure to put “program proposal” in your subject heading.

The deadline for proposal submissions is February 19th, 2010 with notification of acceptance by February 28th, 2010. Conference registration begins January 2010. Additional conference information will be available at that time via the conference website: http://www.slis.ua.edu/latinoliteracy1.html.

Check out the following press release. Although this site is not specifically geared toward children's issues, it could be an excellent resource for parents, as well as for your own research as a librarian into the issues that the Latino community is interested in and thinking about. The full site is available in both English and Spanish.

A new, innovative website has just been launched that is providing timely, useful information to the nation's burgeoning Hispanic population. Called HispanosInfo, the site helps to meet primarily the needs of Spanish-dominant Latinos by providing information, advice and links to other sources of information and services.

"Our research reveals a tremendous information gap for Spanish-dominant Hispanics," says Marcela Miguel Berland, president of New York-based LatinInsights, a market and political research firm. "Although growing numbers of such persons have Internet access, they do not find sufficient information in Spanish. HispanosInfo is a bilingual site that will also serve the needs of bilingual and English-dominant Latinos."

The site, Berland explains, features current events along with sections on immigration, finance, employment, education, opinion, health care - even on love and romance. "Our goal is to provide a service that helps Spanish-dominant persons find important information quickly and easily, to be pointed in the right direction. Our goal is to help them realize their dream and create a virtual community for all Latinos."

HispanosInfo, say the founders, will be guided at all times by the great promise of the Hispanic community, and an attitude that says "juntos podemos," or "together we can." "It's about empowerment," Berland adds, "so that every Hispano in our nation can find the necessary tools to advance - access to better education, useful information on health care, sound advice on personal finances, information on legal matters, immigration and more.

The new site can be accessed at www.hispanosinfo.com.

CONTACT:Marcela Miguel Berland646-717-3131

Note: To view this release and high resolution pictures on the web, click on the link below:http://www.capitalwirepr.com/pr_description.php?id=886165f4-4f35-72d2-3019-4b1e64660eef

I know that getting funding to go all the way down to Argentina isn't the easiest thing, especially in today's economy, but if you can somehow make it, this event in Buenos Aires specifically features Spanish-language children's books from all over the Spanish-speaking world. This July and August will be the 20th Anniversary of the Fair, so it should be an even more exciting event than usual.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

NEW WEBSITE OFFERS VITAL INFORMATION TO HISPANICS HispanisInfo.com (December 9, 2009)A new, innovative website has just been launched that is providing timely, useful information to the nation's burgeoning Hispanic population. Called HispanosInfo, the site helps to meet primarily the needs of Spanish-dominant Latinos by providing information, advice and links to other sources of information and services.

"Our research reveals a tremendous information gap for Spanish-dominant Hispanics," says Marcela Miguel Berland, president of New York-based LatinInsights, a market and political research firm. "Although growing numbers of such persons have Internet access, they do not find sufficient information in Spanish. HispanosInfo is a bilingual site that will also serve the needs of bilingual and English-dominant Latinos."

The site, Berland explains, features current events along with sections on immigration, finance, employment, education, opinion, health care - even on love and romance. "Our goal is to provide a service that helps Spanish-dominant persons find important information quickly and easily, to be pointed in the right direction. Our goal is to help them realize their dream and create a virtual community for all Latinos."

HispanosInfo, say the founders, will be guided at all times by the great promise of the Hispanic community, and an attitude that says "juntos podemos," or "together we can." "It's about empowerment," Berland adds, "so that every Hispano in our nation can find the necessary tools to advance - access to better education, useful information on health care, sound advice on personal finances, information on legal matters, immigration and more.

The new site can be accessed at www.hispanosinfo.com.

CONTACT:Marcela Miguel Berland646-717-3131

Note: To view this release and high resolution pictures on the web, click on the link below:http://www.capitalwirepr.com/pr_description.php?id=886165f4-4f35-72d2-3019-4b1e64660eef

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About Me

I am currently a student in the MLIS program at UCLA, specializing in library services to children and multilingual communities. Before going to graduate school I was a teacher in bilingual and dual language elementary and middle schools for six years.